DayBreak
by BlackAster
Summary: Post-Canon. Kurogane, Fay, Syaoran e Mokona have reached a world that is very similar to Kurogane's Japan. The four got involved in a Coming of Age ceremony and, after the celebration, Fay and Kurogane share a moment, each of them thinking about how much has changed, and how much they have changed, during those years of travelling.


Hello there!

This is a simple one-shot I wrote a couple of years ago, after finishing TRC. The story is set after the end of the manga and it pictures a small episode of the journey Mokona, Syoran, Kurogane and Fay are doing across the universes. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Comments are extremely welcome!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't how the characters nor the backstory. They all belong to their rightful owners.

* * *

"I'm still not so sure that this is a good idea," Syaoran mumbled, a sceptical expression on his face as he watched, almost with diffidence, the crowd that moved and clamoured with enthusiasm a few metres away from where they were standing.

The night had fallen just over an hour before and it had brought with her a new wave of the merry cheerfulness that characterised the country where the four wanderers had made a stop. The main square was lit up by many colourful lanterns, whose lights flooded the darkness with their multi-coloured glows. The world they had reached was, under many points of view, very similar to Kurogane's Japan, as the warrior himself had stated since the very beginning, even if the country was much more technologically advanced than his native one. There was something different in the traditions and in the cuisine too, but it was nothing so big to influence the general atmosphere of the place and the spirits of his inhabitants, which were pretty much the same of the ninja's native land. Kurogane, even if he would have never admitted it, was glad to have for once ended up in a world that was somehow familiar, especially considering that the last universes they had visited had seemed to him too weird and obscure for his liking. His first thought after taking in their new destination had been that he had finally found a place where he could have done some practice in peace and away from the chaos of the last big cities they had ended up in. However, unfortunately for him, the idiotic magician and the white manju-bun had ruined his plans once again.

"Oh, come on, Syaoran! Loosen up! You're one of the guests of honour here. And besides, that woman from the inn said that foreigners are more than welcome to this kind of events!" Mokona shot back, pulling the young man's hair. "I'm sure we'll all have fun!"

"But I don't exactly meet the requirements of this celebration…" Syaoran tried again, shooting a desperate glance in Kurogane's direction, looking for his support.

The ninja, though, just rolled his eyes and didn't speak a word. He had already tried to protest when the manju-bun had come up with that silly idea, but, as always, his objections had been ignored.

The young man sighed. He wasn't going to get any help in that argument. "I'd feel so out of place…"

"That's not true, Syaoran," Fai stepped in, a small, creepy grin on his face. "Technically, your body _is_ eighteen years old, because it was frozen in time by Fei Long's spell, even if your mind is seven years older. So, you're physically coming of age today."

"Fai's right! Not to mention that it's not like you could have celebrate while in the clutches of that man!" Mokona pressed with force. "You've got a chance to make up for the lost years. Why shouldn't you take it?"

Syaoran sighed again, lifting his hands in defeat. "Fine, you won," he gave in, hiding a smile. His companions wished for him to enjoy their life, no matter how odd and unpredictable it was. And they were right, considering what they had gone through to earn it. If Sakura had been there, she would have surely insisted to join the event too. A wistful expression blossomed on his face as the girl's image crossed his mind. It was her birthday too, that day. He would celebrate for them both as she was surely doing in Clow. He owed her that. "Let's join this coming of age ceremony and have fun!"

Mokona and Fai shouted enthusiastically and grabbed him, dragging him down the stairs, towards the happy crowd, while Kurogane stayed on the balcony, watching them and shaking his head. He had grasped why Syaoran had eventually given into the other two's insistence and he couldn't blame him. After all, he had come to that uselessly noisy place for a similar reason. His scarlet eyes locked on Fai's figure, watching him as he handed both Mokona and the young ma a drink. And obviously he was there to prevent his companions from getting drunk as per usual. He scoffed, heading down the stairs in turn. Why did he always had to babysit those idiots?

 **xxxxx**

The celebrations went on till very late at night. After the feast, the Mayor had made a speech, addressing the boys and the girls who were coming of age that month, wishing them to become good people and to always follow their dreams, no matter what challenges life could have put on their path. Syaoran was impressed by the man's words, in which he couldn't help recognising an echo of his and his companions' fate. Their desires and ideals had been what had given them the strength to keep fighting, even if things had got harder and harder every day. And, in the end, they had won.

The Mayor, once he was done with his speech, had let the real celebration begin, presenting the show that had been put together by a theatre company that had been called specifically for the occasion. The theme was once again the struggle to fulfil one's personal ambitions and plans, against bias and difficulties. After the show, the music had been started again and it had played for the rest of the night, following through the joyful dances and the shared cheerfulness.

Mokona hadn't missed a song, jumping here and there in the dancing crowd and trying, not completely in vain, to drag Syaoran with her. Fai had joined a few dances too, while Kurogane had stood aside, keeping an eye on them to make sure they didn't end up in troubles, a couple of drinks there to keep him company. Of course the wizard had tried in every way to persuade him to dance, but the warrior had resolutely refused despite having been driven by all that insistence to the point of exasperation, swearing that he would have rather die than throw away his pride like that. In the end the blond had been forced to give up, even if that hadn't stopped him from taking a seat next to the ninja and chatting about the stupidest and most useless things for the following hours, as a payback for having been turned down.

 **xxxxx**

It was less than an hour from down when Kurogane had laid Syaoran and Mokona, both fast asleep, on their beds. The two were both exhausted but happy and an open smile stretched over the young man's face. He had apparently enjoyed himself, despite the initial scepticism, even if he hadn't been able to completely prevent himself from thinking about the princess who was waiting for him in another world. He had wondered what she might be doing and if she was enjoying the celebration in their honour too. Knowing her, the answer was surely an affirmative one and he knew that her thoughts too would have been often aimed beyond Clow's starry sky. Because only watching the stars they could feel close despite the unbridgeable distance, each of them certain that similar stars were lighting the other's skin.

"Sakura…" He mumbled in his sleep, bringing the ninja's blood red eyes on him.

Kurogane couldn't help a small smile and shot the two one last glance before closing the room door and leaving them to their rest. He then started to walk down along the corridor, heading for the roof of the inn.

Fai noticed the warrior's presence as soon as the latter had stepped on the floor of the large terrace, but didn't turn around, staying still where he was, arms resting on the wooden railing and eyes lost in the horizon that was slowly starting to brighten. The ninja joined him without a word and leant his back against the railing, lifting his eyes towards the sky in turn. That ritual had become a habit of theirs. Every evening they met in a silently chosen place and stayed there for some time. It could have been ten minutes as several hours, some times watching the seconds passing in silence, others speaking in whispers.

"Mokona's idea hasn't been so bad, now, has it, Kuro-rin?" The wizard commented after a few minutes, but he didn't turn to look at his companion. "Syaoran definitely enjoyed himself."

"I acknowledge that you behaved this time," Kurogane admitted shaking his head. "But keeping that damn manju-bun away from the sakè has been a real challenge."

"They're all excuses to keep up your bad Big Dog façade!" Fai teased with a chuckle, finally turning towards him and poking his side. "You enjoyed the celebration to. Confess it, Kuro-puu! Even if you've been so rude. You refused to dance with your wife!"

"Please, don't start with that crap of yours," the ninja growled out, but he wasn't really mad. By now he was used to the other's ways and silly nicknames. He had been forced to get used to them, not to find himself chasing him with his words ten times a day. He had decided to limit that treatment to the moments of real irritation, then ones when his already little patience was mortally wounded by the blond's words and teasing.

He shook his head. He had to admit that the wizard had improved during those years they had spent together. Fai still hid behind his masks for most of the time and still got lost in his idiotic, self-destructive thoughts, but his smiles were a bit sincerer now. In Kurogane's eyes, that counted as a win, considering all the efforts he had made and still made to persuade the idiot that he no longer had a reason to pretend, not now that he had a family and friends he could count on, people who cared for him as he was and didn't give a damn about who he had been and what he had done in the past. Those efforts often seriously tested his endurance and they were one of the reasons that made him chase the other to slice him up, but he willingly put himself through them. After all, since the very beginning for their search for Sakura's feathers, their destinies had been fatally weaved together and he had found himself being unavoidably attracted towards that thin and mysterious figure, almost without realising it and, at first, even against his will.

With time, he had learnt to see past the masks that Fai built around himself and his past and he had started to feel responsible for the blond's action. Since the idiot didn't seem to care much for his well-being, the warrior had decided that he would have to do it for him. And that was how, adventure after adventure, their relationship had evolved, turning into something he had never expected. It was a deep and intense bond, something that maybe ran even deeper than his loyalty towards Tomoyo. At first the realisation had shock him, the strength of his own feeling catching him off guard, but in the end he hadn't been able to do anything but accepting them. And, in retrospect, he was happy with the turn that things had taken between them. He had one more access past his companion's thick defences and the chance to show him that he could be happy too. That they all could be happy, together.

"Hey, Kuro-pon, you aren't at me mad, are you?"

The wizard's voice broke the trail of the ninja's thoughts, bringing him back to the present. Kurogane realised that he had been silently staring at the blond till that moment without noticing. He hurriedly moved his eyes elsewhere.

"No, of course not," he mumbled, mentally slapping himself for having zoned out like that. Despite their bond, he refused to take part in the slush that his companion seemed to enjoy so much. He had a reputation to defend, unlike the wizard. "I was just lost in thought." He looked back at his speaker. "I already admitted that the party wasn't that bad. That's all you'll get from me," he stated in an adamant tone. "And _you_ , baka? Did you enjoy yourself?"

The small grin wavered on Fai's lips, but he forced himself to keep it in place. He should have expected such a question. Kurogane never missed the occasion to force him to speak his real feelings out aloud. Lying wasn't an option, he would have just made the ninja mad, ruining the moment they were sharing. He let out a sigh. He without doubt liked it better when they just spent their time together in silence and talking about everything and nothing. However, now the question was out and he needed to answer it.

His eyes became unfocused. Had he enjoyed himself? Had he felt carefree, even if just a bit? During the years that had followed the end of their adventures a lot had changed. Their travelling had become less stressing and they had felt free to stay in the worlds they landed in for how much time they wanted, without any real hurry to leave. They did their best to help out the people they met and more than once they had fought to bring back peace and justice in those universes. In the meanwhile, they had also created a thick web of relationship and friendships with the people they bumped into, making experiences and living emotions that had taught them many things about the meaning of existence in general. Yes, many things had changed and he was starting to change too. The tales of the people they met and, even more, the everyday life he shared with his companions had offered him a prospect of life that he had never considered for himself, forcing him to open his eyes and turning his back to the shadows in which he had so badly wanted to drown. They had held a hand out for him and have given him reasons to keep going. Not to mention that, even if he had wanted to give up, he wouldn't have been allowed to do it, because a familiar iron grip would have drag him out of every abyss.

The thought almost made him laugh. He still didn't know if that certainty bothered him or if it made him feel good, but he was still grateful for it because, if Kurogane hadn't been by his side, he would have never found out that, beyond his guilt and his curses, there was a whole new universe waiting for him. At first he had been afraid of what had been blossoming between them, of that extreme attachment, of that _need_. At one point he had even regretted to have crossed that line he had sworn to himself he would have never crossed. However, it had been the ninja himself who had showed him that there was nothing wrong, nothing to be afraid of. They would have supported each other, bound by a silent agreement.

The smile on his face became steadier once again and it took a hue of sincerity as his blue eyes locked once again on the dark shadow waiting next to him. Why should he keep lying when he could enjoy a bit of truth after years of lies? Letting his masks fall was still impossible for him, because by now they were a big part of who he was, and perhaps they would be such forever, but he could make an effort to repay his companion's commitment to him.

"Yes, I did," he answered simply, without his usual waste of words, showing that he was saying what he truly thought.

Kurogane stared at him sceptically for a moment, piercing through him with his eyes. Fai felt faint shivers running down his spine under the intensity of those scarlet irises, but in the end the ninja gave him a satisfied look, showing that he believed him, and the blond couldn't help breathing out a sigh of relief.

He made to turn away to go back gazing at the dawn, but suddenly he felt a hand wrapping around his arm and one moment later he found himself tightly held against his companion's chest, the latter's arms wrapped firmly around his waist. He looked up, caught off guard. He hadn't been expecting such a gesture. The warrior of course wasn't looking at him, but he was keeping his head turned away, trying not so successfully to hide his embarrassment.

A chuckled escaped the wizard's lips and he stretched and arm out to poke the other's cheek, careful not to move away from the embrace. "You see? Under that hard exterior you've got a soft side too, Kuro-tan," he teased quietly. "You could show it more often instead of manhandling me all the time!"

"Didn't I tell you to spare me your crap?" Kurogane shot back, the comment hitting a bit too close to home for his liking, and glared. He then rested his hands on the blond's shoulders, showing his intentions to push him away. "I have no soft side. I just thought you deserved some kind of reward for having told the truth without making me sweat for it, for once."

Fai was quicker and, as soon as he had grasped the warrior's intentions, he wrapped his arms tightly around the other's neck, lifting himself up to lace his legs around his hips too. "Oh, you're such a big softy indeed! You just spoke the sweetest words that have ever left that insulting mouth of yours," he chanted, swaying a bit, aware that he was just pissing his companion off even more. "Come on, admit it! You love your wifey!"

"Are we going there again? You're not my damned wife, I've been telling you that for years! You party magician!" Kurogane exploded, trying at the same time not to raise his voice too much, not wanting to disturb the other sleeping guests of the inn. "Be grateful that I don't have my sword with me, because otherwise I…"

He was cut off by a pair of soft, cool lips against his own. The contact didn't last more than a few moments, but it was so intense that he instantly forgot all his irritation. Fai broke the kiss as quickly as he had started it and let go of the other, feet hitting the floor again before he turned around to head back inside.

"That's my "thank you" for what you do for me," he spoke quietly, a melancholic hue in his voice. He had his back at Kurogane, because he didn't want him to notice that his eyes were watery. He didn't understand why he had tears in his eyes, after so much time he had spent violently holding them back. And for once they were not tears of pain. He cleared his throat slightly, forcing himself to go back to his shrill tone. "Come on, we have better get some sleep or tomorrow packing will be a real challenge!"

Kurogane stared at his back for a few instants, still shocked by what had just happened. That idiot. He always caught him off guard, even though by now he was more or less ready for everything when they were together. He shook his head, shaking himself out of his surprise, and hurried after the wizard, catching him before he could cross the threshold that led back into the inn. He grabbed his arm once again, forcing him to turn around, and pulled him close one more time, bending down to cover the distance that separated them.

This time the kiss was longer and much deeper, so much that they both found themselves breathless when they broke away. The ninja seemed determined to devour the wizard's lips and mouth, and Fai allowed him all the access he needed, accepting that passionate, burning assault, even if not without fighting back a bit.

When they finally broke away, there was the hint of a blush on Kurogane's face, while the blond laced onto his arm, smiling widely and far too cheerfully for the other's liking.

"You see? I'm right once again, Kuro-sama!" The wizard claimed, rubbing his cheek against the warrior's arm.

"Baka," the latter mumbled, as they started to walk their way inside.

Fai didn't answer, but he lowered his head to hide a new smile, smaller but much more authentic. He was glad of having been forced to keep living. He was aware that the scars from him past would have never left him, just as his companions would have always had to deal with their own, but he was also sure that, until they would have been together, it wouldn't have mattered so much. He shot Kurogane a glance, his blue eyes instantly getting lost in those deep, hypnotising blood red pools. What he had gained was worth his suffering.

Behind their backs, the sun was starting to rise above the horizon, turning the dark blue of the night in the pale blue of the daily sky and announcing the beginning of a new day.


End file.
